Heading-machine.



W. D. THOMAS.

HEADING MACHINE.

APPLICATION TILED FEB. 29, 1908.

Patented July 20, 1909.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

uwg i gm, 5 Q ww, Wm r W. D. THOMAS.

HHADING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED FEB. 29, 1908.

928,409. Patented July 20, 1909.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ndlim.

W. D. THOMAS.

HEADING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED PEB.29,1908.

Patented July 20, 1909.

5 SHEBTSSHEET 3.

W. D. THOMAS.

HEADING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 29, 1908.

Patented July 20, 1909.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

W. D. THOMAS.

HEADING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 29, 1908,

928,409. Patented July 20, 1909.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5 WITNESSES INVENTOR V DUE! Am/m8, fiQQ/MMV (mm. R W kQM,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM n. THOMAS, or PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

HEADING-MACIHNE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM D. THOMAS, of Pittsburg, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new i and usefulImprovement in Heading Machines, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact descriptiomreference being had to the aecom anyingdrawings, forming part of this specihcation,=in which Figure l is a planview of a machine embodymg my invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsection on the irregular line II-II of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sideelevation; Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line IVIV of .Fig. 1; Fig.5- is a. detail view of the slide; Fig. 6 is an end view partly brokenaway; Fig. 7 is a detail View of one of the gripping members or jaws;Figs. '8 and 9 are detail views illustrating the heading operation; andFig. 10 is a sectional end view of one of the spikes formed by themachine.

My invention has relation to machines for maklng spikes, bolts or otherheaded metal articles and is designed to provide a machine of thischaracter which shall be simple'in its construction and operation and bymeans of which spikes or other headed articles can be rapidlyand cheaplymade.

The precise nature of my inventionwill be best understood by referenceto the accompanying drawings, in which I have shown the preferredembodiment thereof and which will now be described, it being premised,however, that various changes may be made in the details of constructionand arrangement by those skilled in the art,

without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, as definedin the appended claims. 9

In the drawings, the numeral 2 designates the frame of the machine,which is )rovided near one end portion with suitable earings 3, in whichis journal'ed a main actuating shaft 4. This shaft is driven by means ofa pulley 5, or in any other suitable manner.

6 and 7 designate a pair of feed-in and cut-off wheels, wh'ch are rigidlsecured to the respective sh ts-S and 9, WhlCll are journaled 1nbearings 10, at the opposite end portion of the machine from the shaft4, said shafts being journaled one above the other, and intergeared atone end b means of the toothed pinions 11 and 12. ach of these wheels isformed with a V-shaped groove 13, in its periphery and with a seriesSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 29, 1908. Serial No. 418,456.

Patented July 20, 1909.

of spaced cutters 14, which project into the grooves. The two grooves 13fit together and form a feed opening for the stock, which, in thepresent instance, is of rectangular form, the particularma'chine shownbeing adapted to the manufacture of spikes. As will seen, the feedopening formed b the two grooves is arranged to feed the stocdiamond-wise. The wheels 6 and 7 are rotated by a step-by-step movementby means of a spur wheel 15, which is journaled on a stubshaft 16,pro'ectin from one side of the frame. Secure to t is spur wheel 15 is alarger toothed wheel 17, having a series of long teeth 18, anda seriesof alternating shorter teeth 19. On the end of the main shaft4 is acrank disk 20, having a crank ,start the rotation of the toot ed wheel17,

and spur wheel 15, after which the crank pin 21 engages-one of theshorter teeth 19. The advantages of this arrangement is that by firstbringing the cam promotion 22 into engagement with one of the longerteeth of the wheel 17, sudden starting of the gears is prevented, sincethe projection 22 being nearer the center of the crank disk 20, works ona shorter leverage with respect to the shaft 4 and on a lon er leveragewith re spect to the shaft 16, t ereby causing every gradual and easystarting of the feed-1n operating gearing, the crank pin 21 commencingits work after the gearing has bee started.

15 is a brake-bloek for the wheel 23 designates a slide mounted upon theways or guides 24 at the lateral portions of the frame 2, and having theforwardly proj ecting bars or arms 25, whose forward ends are providedwith antifriction rollers 26,. which bear against cams 27, on the mainshaft 4.

28 designates a bifurcated yoke, the arms of which are connected attheir forward ends to form a strap portion 29, which embraces the cam oreccentric 30 on the shaft 4, and this strap portion is guided in agroove bearing 29 on the base or frame 2. The rear portion of the yokecarries the two wed e members 31, having each a straight side 32,- whichis in sliding contact with the inner face of the side portions 2d? ofthe slide 23, and whose wedge faces 33 engage the outer vertical faces34 of the gripping jaws or members 35. These wedge members are furtherguided in their movements by the portions 36 of the slide 23. In theupper face of each of these wedge members is an oblique recess or groove37, which is parallel to the inner wedge faces :33, and which is engagedby a dependlng lip 38, on the adjacent gripping member or jaw.

39 designates the aw or grip proper which ,is secured to the inner sideof the gripping member and which is formed with a V-shaped recess 40, inits inner face to receiveand grip the stock. One of these grips is shownin detail in Fig. 7 and the cooperating arrangement of the two grips 1sclearly shown 1n Figs. 1 and 4.

41 designates removable cap plates which extend over the outer edgeportions of the wedge members 31, and hold them down to their guidingseats.

3t are pins or projections on the wedge members 31, which are arrangedto engage the rear end portion of the slide 23.

24* are back-stops on the guides 24 for limiting the backward movementof sald slide.

42 designates a hammer-head which is pivoted at 43 between lugs 44 ofthe main frame, and which has a shank portion 45, depending below thepivot and connected by a link 40, with an arm 47, secured to the underside of the slide 23. This hammer is shown in detail in Figs. 8 and 9,and may also be clearly seen in its related position in Figs. 1 and 2.Secured in this head is the heading die or tool 48. As will be seen byreference to Figs. 1, 2, S and 9, just referred to, the center 43, uponwhich the hammer moves and which is preferably formed by stops ortrunnions projecting from the sides of the hammer-head and engaging thebearings in the lugs 44, lies in an inclined plane, so thatthe hammer isarranged to strike a downward and oblique blow at an angle to the lineof feed of the stock.

The operation of the machine is as fol lows: The stock is fed into themachine between and by the feed-in and cut-off Wheels 6 and 7, itsforward end being fed by the wheels between the jaws or grips 39, of thegripping members, the cutters 14 acting to out 01f the stock and pointit at the proper length, depending upon their spacings. The rotation ofthe main shaft 4 causes the eccentric 30 to act on the strap 29, of theyoke 28, and thereby pull the wedge members 31 forwardly. The forwardmovement of these wedge members draws the clamping members together andcauses the grips or jaws 39 to tightly seize and hold the stock.

l.)uring the time that the stock is thus being --tion until the grippingmembers gripped, the slide 23 is held against. the f 0r'-' ward movementby the fact that the high portions of the cams 27 are in engagement withthe antifriction wheels 26, at the forward ends of the arms 25.Consequently, the slide 23 will be held in stationary osihave eenactuated to securely close upon and hold the stock, after which the pinsor projections 31 on the wedge members will engage the support. The cams27 now release the slide and the continued action of the eccentric 30draws the yoke 28 forwardly, together with the slide 23, and moves theinner endof the spike blank toward the hammer-head. At the same time,the hammer-head is given a downward swiping blow by means of the linkconnection 46 with the slide 23, and forms the head. This head will beformed at an angle of about forty-five degrees to a vertical planepassing through the line of feed of the stock, as shown in Fig. 10. Thecontinued revolution of the shaft 4 after the heading operation has beencompleted, returns the yoke 28 to its rear position, thereby relievingthe wedging action of the members 31 upon the gripping jaws, andpermitting said jaws to open and drop the completed article which fallsto the base of the machine through an opening 23 in the slide 23.

To adapt the machine for the formation of other articles, it is simplynecessary to remove the feed wheels 6 and 7, and substitute other wheelshaving peripheral grooves of the proper form to accommodate the crosssection of the stock to be used, and also having cutters of theproperkind and spacing to sever the blanks into proper lengths. A properchange isalso made in the driving gear for these wheels. The grips orjaws 35) are also removed and others substituted, adapted to the changedform of stock. In making bolts or other headed articles having asymmetrical head, the link 46, which connects the hammer-head to theslides 23, is removed and a suitable wedge or plugging is insertedbetween the hammer-head and the adjacent portion of the frame, so thatthe hammer is held stationary. The heading is then effected wholly bymoving the blank forwardly against the hammer tool or die 48, by theaction of the gripping aws.

The manner of feeding the stock in diamond-wise position, as here shownand described, is of special advantage in the formation of spikes, sincethe cutters act upon the stock in such a manner as to revent it frombeing forced laterally, an thereby making a point of greater width thanthe dimension of the shank of the spike. Heretofore, considerabledifficulty has been experienced in preventing this lateral forcing outof the metal and widening of the point of thespikeinthecuttingoperation. By

feeding the stock'diamond-wise in the manner descrlbed, .and arran ingthe hammerhead to strike an oblique b ow, this objection is obviated andthe head of the spike is formed in proper relation to the shank, asshown in Fig. 10. i

The entire machine is sim le in its construction, being composed of atfew parts,

all ofwhich are actuated from one shaft.v

may be made in the details of construction and arrangement. Thus, otherforms of gearing may be employed for imparting the step-by-step movementto the feed-in and cut-out wheels,'and the manner of closing andreleasing the gripping members may be changed.

I claim:

1. In a metal heading machine, a longitudinally movable support,grippers mounted on the support and movable laterally thereon relativeto each' other to grip and hold the stock, a reci rocating wedgemechanism arranged to e ect the relative lateral movement of the ippingmembers and also the longitudina movement of the suport and grippingmembers, means for holdmg the support while the wedge mechanism is actinto close the grippin members, and means or actuating the we gemechanism, substantially as described.

2. In a metal-heading machine, a relativel y fixed heading tool, meansfor feeding in and cutting off the stock, grippers which seize the cutblanks, and means for subsequently moving the grippers with the blankforwardly to the said tool, together with means for imparting a downwardblow to said tool as the blanks are moved toward it,

substantially as described.

3. In a metal heading machine, the combination with stock feeding andcutting devices, of a longitudinally movable support, gripping mbmbersmounted on said support to move laterally thereon relative to each otherto rip and hold the stock, wedge members or effecting the lateralmovementof thegripping members, and also to effect the longitudinalmovement of the support and gripping members, means for actuating thewedge members, and stop means for holding the support against movementwhile the wedge members are acting to close the gripping members,substantially as described.

4. In a metal-heading machine, a pair of laterally movable grippingmembers, wedge members for closing the gripping members, bearing againstthe gripping members at the outer sides thereof, a movable support for.the wedge and gripping members, arranged to be engaged and moved by thewedge members after the ripping members haveclosed, .means forho dingsaid support stationary while the gripping members are closin and ,meansfor subsequently releasing sai support to permit it to move forwardlywith the gripping members, together with means for actuating the wedgemembers, substantially as described. v

5. In a metal working machine, a longi- .tudinally movable support, griping members mounted on the support an arranged to have lateral movementthereon relative. to each other to grip and hold the stock,reciprocating wedge mechanism arranged to effeet the relative lateralmovement of the gripping members and also longitudinal movement of thesup art and gripping members, a driven shaft or actuating the wedgemechanism, and cam means on said shaft which hold the sup ort againstmovement while the wedge meciianism is actin to close the grippingmembers, substantialIy as described.

6. In a metal working machine, a longitudinally movable support,gripping members mounted on the support and arranged to havelateralmovement thereon relative to each other to grip and hold the stock,actuating mechanism arranged to eifect the relative lateral movement ofthe gripping members and also longitudinal movement of the support andgripping members, a driven shaft, an actuating connection between theshaft and the gripper actuating mechanism, and stop means for holdingthe support against movement while the gripper actuating mechanism isacting to close the gripping members, substantially as described.

' '7. In a metal heading machine, a longitudinally movable support,means for alternately holding and releasing said support, a pair ofgripping jaws mounted on said support for independent lateral movement,means for closing said jaws upon the blanks and for then causing them tomove longitudinally with the support, a pivoted upsetting tool towardwhich the blanks are moved by the jaws, and an actuating connectionbetween-the upsetting tool and the support, substantially as described.

- 8. In a metal heading machine, a longitudinally movable support, meansfor alternately holding and releasing said support, a pair of grippingjaws mounted on said support for lndependent lateral movement,

means for closing said jaws upon the blanks and for then' causing themto move longitudinally with the support, a pivoted upsetting tool towardwhich the blanks are moved by the jaws, an actuating connection betweenthe upsetting tool and the support,

said pivoted upsetting tool being arranged to be held against movement,and the connection between the tool and the support being a detachableone, substantially as described.

9. In a metal heading machine, means for gripping a blank and moving itforwardly, an upsetting tool mounted on a fixed pivot toward which thesevered blank is moved, and positive actuating means for swingingsaid-tool on its pivot for impartingan oblique striking blow to theblank as it is moved thereto, substantially as described.

10. In a metal working machine, feeding means comprising a pair of feedwheels having complementary V-shaped grooves in their peripheriesforming a pass to receive and feed a blank of substantially rectangularcross-section in diamond-wise position in respect to the axes of thefeed wheels, each Wheel having oblique cutters projecting into saidgrooves from one side thereof, with cutting edges oblique to the axis ofthe feed wheel, the cutters on the two wheels projecting from oppositesides of the grooves, substantially as, described.

11. In a metal heading machine, means for gripping a blank and moving itforwardly, an upsetting tool mounted on a fixed pivot toward which thesevered blank is moved, and a connection between the blank gripping andmoving means and. the upsettin tool for swinging the tool on its pivotto impart an oblique blow to the blank, as it is moved thereto;substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

} WILLIAM D. THOMAS. Witnesses CHAS. F. BARR, DAVID A. LYON.

